Kevin Willard made an informal introduction to Villanova media Wednesday in a 30-minute virtual news conference, and the former Maryland coach addressed the frustration among Terps fans about the way he departed the program.
“Normal fans just don’t understand what went on,” Willard said. “I had such a great team. I was so focused on my players … being out west with my team for 12 days was such a great experience for me. We had so much fun out there.
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“The timeline, no one knows it. No one understands it. I can’t change that, and I’m not worried about that.”
The “timeline” is what left Terps fans frustrated.
Willard left Maryland after an unusual NCAA Tournament run that included a euphoric Sweet 16 appearance secured via a Derik Queen buzzer-beater in the second round, but Maryland’s March was sidetracked by Willard’s reported flirtation with Villanova.
During a March 20 tournament news conference, Willard all but made official the departure of athletic director Damon Evans to SMU and complained about the Terps’ lack of financial support. In a local radio interview on March 25, Willard said he was staying with Maryland “as of right now,” which only added to speculation that he’d leave the team.
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When asked about Villanova after the team’s loss to Florida on March 27, Willard suggested he was fully focused on the Terps and hadn’t talked his wife or agent about taking a different job. The Baltimore Sun reported that same night, however, that a prominent Maryland donor was informed Willard was likely leaving for Villanova.
Sunday, three days after the Terps lost to Florida in the Sweet 16, Willard was officially announced as Villanova’s coach. Buzz Williams was named Maryland’s new coach Tuesday.
“I think some of my comments during the NCAA Tournament probably could have been a little bit less abrasive,” Willard said Wednesday, “but unfortunately, sometimes when my passion for my program, my passion for my players comes out, I get a little excited.”
Willard’s excitement about Villanova’s financial standing as a Big East program was evident Wednesday. Revenue sharing is coming to college sports on July 1, pending final approval of the House vs. NCAA settlement. In that new world, universities will have a maximum of $20.5 million to share annually with their players. For a Big Ten school like Maryland, the majority of the money is expected to be used to fund a 105-player football roster. For a school like Villanova with a Football Championship Subdivision football team that doesn’t take financial priority over other sports, more money can be allocated to men’s basketball players.
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“[In] football-centric conferences, basketball schools are going to run into the fact that if you give $16 million to football, you have a $3 million cap,” Willard said. “Where in the Big East you just don’t have that issue.”
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Maryland hasn’t officially announced how it plans to allocate revenue next season, but Yahoo Sports reported that major conference schools like those in the Big Ten and SEC will likely put between $2 million to $4 million annually into men’s basketball. Villanova is expected to surpass those numbers annually.
A return to the Big East — Willard played in the conference in the late 1990s and coached Seton Hall from 2010 to 2022 — especially with the pending financial realities of college athletics, proved too much to pass up.
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“I was blessed to be at Maryland,” Willard said. “It was a great spot. I loved it, but for me, Villanova, it’s just a great fit for me and my family.”
Count former Maryland men’s basketball coach Gary Williams among those who disagree with the way Willard voiced his concerns, even if there was validity to Willard’s overall point.
“It’s a family. So it’s never going to be completely smooth,” said Williams at Buzz Williams’ introductory news conference Wednesday, which was attended by several other Maryland coaches, including football coach Mike Locksley. “There’s always going to be some issue. But those issues have to be kept within the program. It’s just like if you have trouble with your family, you don’t go out and go to the Starbucks and say, ‘Hey, I’m really having trouble with my wife.’ It’s like, come on, you don’t do that, and I really hadn’t seen that before.
“I left Ohio State, one of the great institutions in the country. We had plenty of money in the budget. Football was big, but when I left, I just said, ‘Thanks for the great opportunity. I really looked forward to it.’ I wouldn’t have left Ohio State for any other job but Maryland, which was true, and you move on. Coaches change jobs. There’s nothing wrong with going somewhere else. But you’ve got to take care of business because they were pretty good to you while you were here.”
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As for the lingering frustrations felt by Terps fans, Willard is ready to leave the last few weeks in the past.
“Maryland just got a great coach in Buzz, and I’m really happy for them,” Willard said. “I’m super excited to be in a great basketball conference here. I think it’s time for everyone to move on.”
Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at [email protected], 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin.
